‘My determination and the power of curiosity are what brought me to Europe. Or as an Egyptian expression so aptly describes it: I wanted to see the other side of the sea.’ Nabil Hasaballa was 19 when he made up his mind to leave Egypt.

She is a face familiar to many people owing to the newscast on the Eén television channel and the news report magazine Login on the Canvas channel: 24-year-old Danira Boukhriss Terkessidis from Vilvoorde is one of the youngest faces working for the Flemish radio and television broadcaster, the VRT.

Ish Ait Hamou from Vilvoorde started telling stories at the tender age of 13. He uses dance, film images and words to tell his stories. His first novel Hard hart was published last winter.

He was 13 years old when he first heard the legendary musical work The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky. It was then that he made up his mind about wanting to be a composer. Luc Brewaeys from Vilvoorde never lost sight of that aim and he is now acknowledged as one of Belgium's leading composers.